Promoting and Marketing Scottish Chess

[David G Congalton]

Any ideas out there on how to promote and market Scottish Chess?

How do we increase the numbers regularly playing at all levels and age groups?

How do we further encourage non-members to become Chess Scotland members?

Thoughts on how we increase CS funds through promotion and marketing?

Any ideas on what could be offered to potential investors in the game and how they could utilise a partnership with Chess Scotland for the investors benefit?

General and specific examples could be useful. For example, the Nintendo DS targeted those in the more mature bracket in some of their adverts for the brain training game. Could CS approach Nintendo or whoever manufactures the brain training series with an advertising package and co-operation by suitable CS members to promote their products in return for an investment in our senior teams?

Many ideas may have been aired before and undoubtedly many previous discussions will have taken place but all ideas would be useful to throw in the pot, even if they've been considered before. No harm in reassessing ideas to see if they can be made to work.

[Andy Howie]

Ok I'll throw in a starter for 10

We have the live boards that we are taking to congresses, why not sell the game page to a sponsor(s) as a package to have their brand advertised on that page on x number of congresses

[Angus McDonald]

I do think that there is little understanding outside 'chess circles' about the world scale of Chess.
Yesterday I did a search on 'xadrez' which is the Portuguese name for Chess. The amount of Brazilian chess websites is staggering. There are about 10 online chess websites and many many more club information pages etc. I would like to compile a list (probably small book) to be used to show to potential sponsors so they can see the scale of chess worldwide with an undertaking that we would notify all those websites of any sponsorship gained. I think the International 'Chess Community', if it exists, should help each other gain sponsors and if it doesn't exist we should promote it's existence by contacting other federations and urging we support each other in gaining sponsorship for Chess.
One of the big selling points of Chess, 'the brand' is that it is a genuine international sport played in every country in the World. i.e. I read on the Bralian wiki page that out of over 600 million in the world who are thought to play chess (probably know how to move the pieces) 7.5 million players are members of national federations.

[Andy Howie]

Angus,

That is a depressing statistic. A tad over 1%

[Angus McDonald]

I actually thought it was quite good.

Think it compares well to many other sports. I.E Shinty has received hundreds of thousands of £s of government support but is clearly a local sport. Government should be interested in promoting areas which increase cultural exchange etc.

[David G Congalton]

Ok I'll throw in a starter for 10

We have the live boards that we are taking to congresses, why not sell the game page to a sponsor(s) as a package to have their brand advertised on that page on x number of congresses

Is this easy to do? Could it be set up with an example ad, say for Scottish Chess Membership or the Scottish Championships, so that it could be presented to potential sponsors? If yes and yes, when could it be done by?

[David G Congalton]

I do think that there is little understanding outside 'chess circles' about the world scale of Chess.
Yesterday I did a search on 'xadrez' which is the Portuguese name for Chess. The amount of Brazilian chess websites is staggering. There are about 10 online chess websites and many many more club information pages etc. I would like to compile a list (probably small book) to be used to show to potential sponsors so they can see the scale of chess worldwide with an undertaking that we would notify all those websites of any sponsorship gained. I think the International 'Chess Community', if it exists, should help each other gain sponsors and if it doesn't exist we should promote it's existence by contacting other federations and urging we support each other in gaining sponsorship for Chess.
One of the big selling points of Chess, 'the brand' is that it is a genuine international sport played in every country in the World. i.e. I read on the Bralian wiki page that out of over 600 million in the world who are thought to play chess (probably know how to move the pieces) 7.5 million players are members of national federations.

Such a small book would be very useful but even just an analysis of the potential markets abroad, by country, could be useful. We could then identify and target UK companies (initially) who are trying to penetrate markets in these countries. Aside from the Portuguese speaking nations, India, China and the ex-USSR states spring to mind. Research would highlight UK based companies who may find International Chess Community links beneficial and possibly vice-versa.

[Andrew McHarg]

Ok I'll throw in a starter for 10

We have the live boards that we are taking to congresses, why not sell the game page to a sponsor(s) as a package to have their brand advertised on that page on x number of congresses

Is this easy to do? Could it be set up with an example ad, say for Scottish Chess Membership or the Scottish Championships, so that it could be presented to potential sponsors? If yes and yes, when could it be done by?

Yep - it's quite easy to do. The hardest part would be getting the sponsor.

[Patrick McGovern]

getting sponsors is only a part of the job. it's keeping them that is the real problem. for some strange reason some view sponsors with suspicion/distaste/ambivalence, delete as appropriate. in some areas of scotland sponsors are discouraged by inactions of the very people who should know better.
In my local area dominos get £6000 of sponsorship annually, as well as a full page spread every week in the local paper. even if we got one tenth of that it would be £600 more than we already get. the diffference is that sponsors are nurtured, encouraged and their wares promoted, result all round!
Solution? that my friends lays in the hands of the people that control chess.